The present invention relates to a sport instrument in the form of an exercise bicycle on which a user pedals to advance the exercise bicycle in a zigzag or straight path.
Based on statistics, about 20-30% of the people who are overweight or obese, or who feel obese, use treatments for losing weight. The usual methods cover dieting, low-calorie food intake, physical exercise and the Chinese traditional accupunctural weight-reducing methods. Of these, the most effective method, without any ill effects on the mental and physical health of the person using the treatment, is proper and constant physical exercise.
At present, since indoor sports equipment, which is used widely by people wishing to loose weight (and others), and for promoting health and amusement is not limited by time or space, such sports equipment is easily acceptable and therefore possesses excellent market acceptability and great further marketing development potential.
Previously, the designs for various sports equipment were available. One kind of equipment is fixed and is meant only for indoor uses. This kind of sports equipment is not subjected to limits of location and often needs only a small space for use. To the user, however, this kind of sports equipment merely takes the user's two feet and/or hands to conduct the simple mechanical actions, so the user must face monotonous and poor indoor environment and color tones, and even poorly circulated indoor air, and hence, the exercises themselves lack interest.
The user's will may even be subdued to the monotonous and simple mechanical motions which will easily make the user feel tired and weary, thereby reducing effects of the physical exercise which are meant to beef up their health.
The exercise bicycle disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,141,630, granted Feb. 27, 1979, to Emmons, is designed to improve the defects of excessive simplicity and mechanization of conventional indoor sports equipment. The exercise bicycle disclosed by Emmons has a speed identical to that of the user's pedaling, and a projector projects motion pictures of scenery in front of the user. Although said exercise bicycle, with said projector, can improve the defects of the simple and poor indoor environment, this may also increase the user's load when he pedals it in the poor circulation of the indoor air. The reality and changeability of the projected motion picture will also never compete with those of outdoor natural sights. Therefore, the projected motion picture cannot replace some features and merits of outdoor sports equipment.
The U.S. Pat. No. 84,163, granted Nov. 17, 1868, to Blake, discloses a velocipede comprised of a driving mechanism having rope reels, ratchet-wheels, and ropes which are pulled by a user and act upon said driving mechanism to move the rear wheels of the velocipede.
U.S. Pat. No. 233,691, granted Oct. 26, 1880, to Plomer, shows a velocipede having a steering mechanism in which pedal-like means are connected to a wheel spindle and a roller lies within the accurate slot of a control plate so as to rotate along a curve. A rider works a double-cranked axle with his feet to move the wheels of the velocipede.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,892, granted May 1, 1979, to Francken, shows a vehicle adapted for supporting a standing rider, wherein drive means are coupled to a first wheel and are operable by the hands of the standing rider by means of a cable. The control means comprises a pedal connected to a pair of wheels which controls the direction of said vehicle.
Among references which may be considered in conjunction with this application are the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 193,919; 247,156; 1,620,926; 1,777,237; 3,810 658; 4,189,166 and 4,515,362.